As Nets fans filed into Prudential Center on June 28, there wasn't a lot of optimism in the air. The Nets had traded their first rounder to Portland in the Gerald Wallace trade, had previously traded their second rounder for Brandan Wright and were left with Mikhail Prokhorov's wallet and Billy King's reputation for finding solid picks after #40.

So what happened?

The Nets bought the rights to Tyshawn Taylor at #41 and Toko Shengelia at #54. Now, after the first week of rookie league action, NBA.com's Drew Packham ranks Taylor as the top rookie so far, ahead of everyone taken in either round, and Shengelia at #10! Taylor was the leading rookie scorer in Orlando at 15.5 ppg.

Of Taylor, the 6'4" point guard out of Kansas, Packham writes, " his performance ... in Orlando should have coach Avery Johnson feeling a little less apprehensive" about back-up point guard. As for the big Georgian, "Shengelia has shown off an array of moves, including a nice crossover and a spin move, making a potential run at a roster spot in the fall."